Ruoss



Feb. 9, 1937. w uos 2,070,069

JIG FOR TREATING QRE BEARING AND LIKE MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 17, 19 35 INVENTOR Wait 64.014

W. RUOSS Feb. 9, 1937.

JIG FOR TREATING ORE BEARING AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed July 17, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE JIG FOR TREATING ORE-BEARING AND LIKE MATERIAL Walter Ruoss, BatuCaves, Federated Malay State of Selangor 2 Claims.

This invention relates to jigs for treating orebearing and likematerials and is concerned with jigs of the known type which comprise asieve, a chamber situated below the sieve and divided by a partitioninto two hutches, an oscillating vibrator situated in an opening in saidpartition for producing pulsion and suction alternately in each of thehutches, and means for actuating the vibrator.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved jig of theaforesaid type which is so constructed that wear is reduced to aminimum, and another object is to provide simple and inexpensive meansfor transforming existing jigs so as to render them more eflicient.

With the foregoing objects in view, theinvention resides in certainnovel features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

of one form of jig,

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a cross section showing how a standard jig may be convertedinto a jig according to the present invention.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the jigcomprises a steel tank It] having a pyramidal bottom II. The tank hasmidway of its length a transverse wall l2 which divides it into twochambers each of which is divided by a partition l3 into two hutches;

: the four hutches thus formed are indicated by the reference numeralsI, II, III and IV.

In each partition 13 a circular opening I4 is provided to receive adouble-acting piston l5 constituting the vibrator. The piston is held inthe opening M by means of a flexible annulus Hi and clamping rings I1and 18 of flat iron. The annulus [6 which is preferably made of rubber,is shaped so as to allow for lateral displacement of the piston in bothdirections. The piston to is preferably as shown in Figure 1 a hollowbody formed by two fiat cones of mild steel plate with their rims weldedtogether and a central bush Hi. It will be readily appreciated that sucha body, if of suitable dimensions, will float when 50 immersed in water,and can easily be given the correct buoyancy to compensate its ownweight, thus relieving the annulus l6 of any undesirable strain.

The pistons are coaxially arranged with their 55 axes all at the sameheight from the base line,

so that as many units as desired can be assembled to form a jig of two,four or more cells and a common piston rod 20 is provided for operatingthe pistons I5. The rod 20 passes through the bushes l9 and from oneunit into another and 5 outside the tank I0 through stufiing glands 2!.Each piston is held on the piston rod 20 by means of nuts 22 engagingscrewthreaded portions of the rod. An eccentric 23, with adjustablestroke, mounted on a bracket fixed to one end wall of 10 the tank [0imparts reciprocatory movements to the piston rod 20 through a strap 24and a connecting link 25. The drive for the eccentric, indicated inchain lines in Figure 1, may be by means of belt, chain or other gearingfrom any 15 convenient prime mover.

The top of the tank H] is arranged to provide an inclined sluice 26 atthe bottom of which in each hutch is a grid 27 which supports a sieve 28held in position by cross bars 29. For treating 20 tin ore, for example,the sieve 28 would receive a bed of hematite 30 of suitable size.

Water is supplied to each of the hutches from a main pipe 3| through twobranch conduits each controlled by a cook 32 and having at its outlet 25into the tank ID, a non-return rubber flap valve 33.

The operation of the jig is as follows.

The mixture of ore-bearing sand and water is fed into the upper inletend of the sluice 26, i. e. 30 into the left hand end of the sluice asseen in Figure l, and at the same time water is admitted into thehutches through the cocks 32. On rotating the eccentric 23, the rod 20imparts a reciprocatory motion to the pistons 15. When the 35 rod 20moves towards the left in Figure 1 pulsion will take place in hutches Iand III and the water therein will be displaced, will close the flapvalves 33 and will rise through the respective ore beds lifting the sandlying thereon. Simultaneously, 40 suction will be produced in thehutches l1 and IV but as the valves 33 therein will then open and admita certain amount of water, the action of this suction on the sand willbe checked to some extent with the result that heavy particles of orewill sink quickly through the sand and hematite bed while sand of lowerspecific gravity will be held in suspension and gradually float awaytowards the outlet end of the sluice. The ore which has passed throughthe hematite bed and the sieve 28 will sink to the bottom of the hutchesand can be withdrawn therefrom through discharge outlets 34.

In a jig provided with two or more vibrators, it is not essential thatthey shall be of the same size. They may be of different sizes in orderto produce difierent pulsion and suction efiects in the different pairsof hutches which is often desirable. Alternatively, the vibrators may beof the same size and be supported by flexible members of diiierentdepths which will also give different pulsion and suction effects.

Figure 3 is a cross section showing how a known jig may be convertedinto a jig according to the present invention. The known jig comprises ahutch the upper part of which is divided by a partition ll to provide asluice 26 and a plunger compartment 48. A plunger 49 is reciprocatedvertically in the compartment 48 from an overhead eccentric 50. It willbe seen that in these known jigs a plunger, or vibrator, is required foreach hutch and that the sieve 29 extends only halfway across the hutch,the other half of which is occupied by the plunger compartment 48. Bydispensing with the plunger 49 and by providing instead thereof thepartitions l3 and the plungers l5 of the present invention, the sieve 29can be extended to the full width of the hutches.

Jigs according to the invention may be used in conjunction with laundersby building the jigs with the hematite or the like bed on a level withthe floor of the launders at a suitable position, thus combining thesetwo methods of ore recovery.

The invention is not restricted to the specific constructional formsshown on the drawings.

1. In a pulsating jig for treating ore-bearing and like materials, asieve, a chamber which is closed at the top by the sieve, a transversepartition dividing said chamber into two hutches with an opening in saidpartition, a piston-vibrator which is mounted in said opening so as toproduce pulsion and suction alternately in each of said hutches and.which is hollow and buoyant when immersed in Water, and means forreciprocating the piston-vibrator.

2. In a pulsating jig for treating ore-bearing and like materials, asieve, a chamber the top of which is closed by the sieve, a transversepartition dividing said chamber into two hutches with an opening in saidpartition, a hollow and buoyant piston-vibrator in said opening forproducing pulsion and suction alternately in each of said hutches, andan actuating rod for said vibrator, which vibrator comprises two conicaldiscs secured together in opposed relationship around their peripheralmargins and a central bush whereby the piston-vibrator is mounted onsaid actuating rod.

WALTER RUOSS.

